Prescribed fires in native forest resulted in higher amphibian and reptile abundance but not species richness in Australia.
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Published source details
Hannah D.S. & Smith G.C. (1995) Effects of prescribed burning on herptiles in southeastern Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 38, 529-531
Published source details Hannah D.S. & Smith G.C. (1995) Effects of prescribed burning on herptiles in southeastern Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 38, 529-531
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Use prescribed fire or modifications to burning regime in forests Action Link |
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Use prescribed fire or modifications to burning regime in forests
A replicated, controlled, site comparison study in 1994 of native forest and managed near Brisbane, Australia (Hannah & Smith 1995) found that prescribed fires in native forest resulted in increased amphibian abundance but not species richness. In native forest there was a significantly higher number captured in 5-year burn cycles than unburned sites (5-year cycle: 127; 3-year: 85; unburned: 51). In plantations, numbers were similar (burned seven years ago: 37; burned two years ago: 48; unburned: 39). There was no significant difference in species richness between treatments (native: 3–4; plantation: 6). Treatments in native forest (1.5 ha; two replicates) were: burned in autumn–winter on a 3-year cycle (burned 1991), in winter–spring on a 5-year cycle (burned 1993) or unburned (since 1973). In the plantation (25 ha) treatments were: burned two or seven years ago or unburned. Drift-fencing with pitfall traps and active searching were used for monitoring in January or March 1994 (75–180 trap nights/treatment).
